Preventing violence against women a shared duty: Ghani

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday said preventing violence against women was a shared responsibility of the government, ulema and civil society activists, urging all to discharge their Islamic and moral duty in this regard.

Ghani was quoted as expressing these views in a statement issued from the Presidential Palace on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (EVAW).

“Despite a lot of development in human civilization, violence against women continues to persist. This phenomenon has many factors victimizing thousands of women and girls,” Ghani said.

Calling violence against women a major problem, he said Islam and the Afghanistan’s Constitution didn’t allow violence towards women.

“Unfortunately, we see this phenomenon in practice … like a contagious virus spreading in our villages, cities, homes and workplaces, undermining social life.”

The president termed the elimination of violence towards women a common Islamic, national and moral duty of all and effective steps should be taken in this regard.

In the first place, public awareness should be spread in this regard, said Ghani, adding anti-violence talks should be repeated until all considered it a definite order. He also suggested women violence related subjects should be taught and denounced in schools.

“Violence isn’t just a physical hideous action, but a biased act towards the gender.” He termed as violence isolation of women, denying them rights and keeping them under extreme physical and mental duress.

He said Afghanistan would overcome these issues if public perception of women as humans was enhanced and their dignity and honor recognized.

“One of the negative consequences of the imposed war on Afghanistan is violence towards women, but fortunately our Constitution has ensured giving more attention to human rights as compared to the past and violence against women.”

He said the unity government over the past three years had modified Afghanistan’s laws while keeping in mind women’s rights.